If there was ever a show with which we as a community could have an absolute field day, it's this one.
I love it when synopses begin by describing a community or a family as "dysfunctional” — as if there is an entirely functional one devoid of drama.
Think about when you have your family around you — a reunion, a wedding, a milestone birthday, whatever. Your family may not end a reception with two uncles who have over-imbibed squaring off in the backyard over a beef that started in 1987, but it happens. Jealousies, perceived slights, genuine slights, scandalous rumors, judgments about lifestyles, and child-rearing strategies — something is bound to be brought to light quietly or out loud when everyone is under one roof.
Now imagine if it happened at the family patriarch's funeral.
In the fictional Southern towns of Lula and Timson, Raynelle Turpin opens the show by reading a letter from her sister-in-law that chastises Raynelle and Bud for their church attendance. Bud, a man described as "mean and surly," slumps over.
Bud's sister, Marguerite Althorns, is the first to learn of her brother's passing and demands that her sporadically employed son, Royce, attend the funeral. Royce and his mom — a seriously religious woman — have a hilariously and endearingly combative relationship. Mom wakes up Royce by singing hymns at the top of her lungs. The scene where they run out of gas and get stranded together is alone worth the price of admission.
Royce has more than a few comedic moments when he espouses his life philosophy or simply survives his mother. I played him in 2009, and you can see a clip of it here in a vignette entitled "Theater in Southern Pines, NC:" https://www.seanpatricksmith.com/music-i-love .
Bud's oldest son, Ray-Bud, seems less concerned about his father's passing than what it will cost him to bury Dad. Bud's middle child, Junior, is the father of two children and the beleaguered husband of the dramatically bitter Suzanne, who constantly reminds Junior of how broke they are.
So that you know, somebody's getting punched before the end of this play.
Junior has a "parking lot cleaning machine" and plans to be a "businessman" like his dad. He is giving a free demonstration at K-mart when a woman known for "picking up men in parking lots" approaches him.
As you can see from the cast list below, we need all hands-on deck to audition. This is the perfect show for folks who have never tried it before or who did it once upon a time. The goal is to have a homogenous mix of experience and inexperience and have a good time.
Your director is Juliet Blanks, the daughter of Ramsey Blanks, who taught at Richmond Senior High School for decades. I first met Juliet when I took the lead in "A Streetcar Named Desire" in 2006. She also enlisted me to perform with her and Don Bridge in "Moon Over Buffalo," which led me to a multiple-show run with Don that included "Dearly Departed." Among her many other stage credits, here is a run-down of Juliet's time with the professional Temple Theater in Sanford:
She is currently rehearsing "The Secret Garden" with the Encore Theater of the Pines.
Final auditions for "Dearly Departed" are on March 18-19 at Richmond Community Theater, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and running until 9 p.m. The show takes the stage June 20-22 and June 27-29.
Cast List:
Raynelle: The matriarch of the family
Bud: Raynelle’s deceased husband
Marguerite: Bud's sister and overtly religious mother of Royce
Royce: Marguerite’s son and a good source of comic relief
Ray-Bud: The oldest son
Lucille: Ray Bud's wife
Junior: Bud's younger son
Suzanne: Junior's wife
Reverend Hooker: The man desperately trying to conduct a respectful funeral among the chaos
Delightful: Raynelle's late-in-life daughter and a food enthusiast
Veda/Norville: A married couple. Norville is advanced in age with numerous ailments and is medicated out of his mind.
Nadine: is a prolific procreator, and she names her children after famous people.
Clyde: Ray Bud's friend/auto mechanic
Juanita: The gossip
Sean Patrick Smith is a freelance columnist and author of “Three Miles of Eden,” a murder mystery set in Seven Lakes, in which Richmond County makes multiple appearances.
